Front-end loaders are often provided with self-leveling linkages which extend between the support mast or post for the loader boom and the tilt linkage of the implement attached to the forward end of the loader boom. A common known linkage arrangement is to use the attachment tilt cylinder as one of the links in the leveling linkage. One of the drawbacks of these arrangements is that the geometry of the linkage for true leveling is obtained only for a given length of the tilt cylinder and thus for a given roll back position. If the linkage is designed to ensure sufficient roll back for all heights, then the dump angle is apt to be less than desirable at some height. Or, on the other hand, if the linkage is optimized for dump angle capability, then the roll back angle capability is apt to be unfavorable, i.e., either too great or to small, for some heights. A further drawback of using the tilt cylinder as one of the leveling linkage links is that the cylinder is oriented such that pressure is applied to the rod end to effect roll back and pressure is applied to the head end to effect dumping, thus, desired maximum roll back power and maximum dump speed is sacrificed.
A known loader marketed as the B3515 Drive-in Loader by Bomford & Evershed Ltd., a company located in Great Britain, incorporates a leveling and tilt linkage arrangement wherein an attachment holder and triangular plate assembly share a common pivot connection with the forward end of the loader boom with the leveling linkage being attached to one corner of the plate assembly and the tilt cylinder being attached between the other corner of the plate assembly and the holder such that true leveling occurs for all positions of the tilt cylinder. While this design provides a suitable roll back angle of about 40.degree. from the horizontal, it still suffers the drawbacks of having a maximum dump angle of only about 60.degree. from the horizontal and of not having the cylinder oriented for desired maximum roll back power and maximum dump speed.